Country Hills Montessori

Country Hills Montessori is a group of Montessori preschools for children aged 3 to 6, founded in 1977. It began in Montgomery, Ohio, and now has schools in the greater Cincinnati, Dayton and Springboro areas and in Northern Kentucky; the Springboro school is at 325 E. Central Ave. The schools offer full-day and half-day preschool and kindergarten programmes in small classes with low student-teacher ratios, led by Montessori-certified teachers.

Classrooms mix ages: three-year-olds join as the youngest pupils, and by five, in their kindergarten year, they take on more responsibility in the class. The curriculum covers:

• Reading, with a phonics-based programme
• Mathematics, using concrete materials
• Sensorial activities
• World geography and culture
• Practical life skills

A distinctive feature is intergenerational learning: founder Jean Johanningman placed classrooms in healthcare centres, and residents join the children for crafts, gardening, singing and baking. Families can call to arrange a tour, and application forms are available from each location.